The Low Flute Family

Contr’alto Flute: The Contr’alto flute in G is an octave below the Alto flute.

Contrabass Flute: Sounds a full two octaves lower than the C-flute. You can see/hear the contrabass flute here

Subcontrabass Flutes: The range of the Subcontrabass Flute in G starts half an octave below the Contrabass Flute. Or two and a half octaves below the C-flute. You can see/hear the subcontrabass flute here and here

Recordings

Repertoire

Further to the above link, as part of her Graduate Diploma Research Project “A Preliminary Investigation of Australian Repertoire for Alto Flute”, Semester 2, 2013, Karen Anson compiled a detailed listing of Australian Low flute repertoire which can be viewed below

“The following repertoire list consists of compositions, which feature the alto flute. The purpose was to create a definitive list of Australian alto flute repertoire for other musicians wishing to perform on this instrument. The following repertoire has been divided into three sections consisting of solo Alto flute; Alto flute with piano and Alto flute featured with other instruments.”

Australian Alto flute Repertoire

Solo Alto flute

Bieniek. M., (1976)

Questioning the Manx Clasti

2001

Cornwell. L

Melting Pot

1993

Cornwell. L.,

Cantata

Czaplowski. P.,

Elegia

2007

Dench. C.,

Artaud

1989

Dench. C.,

Caught breath of time

1989

(Alto flute & C fl)

Dench. C.,

Gelb: violet

1989

(Solo fl, alto & piccolo)

Ford. A., (b.1957)

Spinning

1988

Ford. A., (b. 1957)

Female Nude

1993

Formosa. R., (b. 1954)

Silhouette

1986

Hopkins. S., (b. 1958)

Journey to the East

2006

Hush. D., (b.1956)

Three Pieces for Alto flute/ flute

2000

Kelly. N., (b. 1957)

Mantodea

1986

O’Callaghan. S., (b. 1999)

The Elements

Pollard. M., (b. 1957)

Under Simple Stars

1989

Powning. G., (b. 1949)

Daphnis Diversion

2013

Powning. G., (b. 1949)

Ghost Waltz

2013

Reiner. T.,

Five Propositions for Alto flute

Shanahan. I., (b. 1962)

Dimensions paradisi

1998

Tahourdin. P., (b. 1928)

Music for Solo flute

2009

(C fl & Alto fl, 1 player)

Tiutiunnik. K.,

Apoteosi

1995

(1 player: Alto fl, piccolo, C fl.)

Alto Flute/Piano

Beath. B., (b. 1932)

Music for Gillian

1988

Beath. B., (b. 1932)

Nawang Wulan

2006

Davidson. L., (b. 1963)

Mediterranean Blue

2007

Edwards. R., (b. 1943)

Retrospective

2009

Grenfell. M., (b. 1969)

On a Moonlit Night

2000

Grenfell. M., (b. 1969)

Poems of a bright moon

2000

Grenfell. M., (b. 1969)

These Dark Notes Drifting

Page. R.,

Sonetos del amor oscuro

2004

Strahan. D., (b. 1935)

Atlantis

1992

Alto Flute/Other Instruments

Broadstock. B., (b. 1952)

In Chains

1989

(Alto fl. & guitar)

Kats- Chernin. E.,

Colours of the Sea

2004

(Alto fl, violoncello & piano)

Colbert. B., (b. 1956)

– of two minds

2008

(Alto fl & guitar)

Dench. C., (b. 1953)

Venezia

1989

(Alto fl, flute & bass fl.)

Edwards. R., (b. 1943)

Emily’s Song

2003

(2 Alto’s & bass flute)

Gyner. E., (b. 1968)

Trio Sonata

1994

(Alto fl. A clarinet & piano)

Hooley. B.,

Toot Suite

2011

(Flute & alto fl.)

Mageau. M.,

Serenade

2004

(Alto fl, harp & cello)

McNamara. P., (b. 1980)

Distorted Waters

2007

(Alto fl. & cello)

Morris. C.,

Forest over the Sea

2013

(Alto, Bass fl. & piano)

Pollard. M., (b. 1957)

Thrice Removed

1985

(Flute No.1, alto fl no.2, flute, no.3)

Rosiak. M., (b. 1977)

Shadow Game

2012

(Alto & bass flute)

Stanley. J., (b. 1976)

Four Desert Flowers

2010

(Flute, alto & marimba)

Werder. F., (1922-2012)

Flotenspiel

1994

(Alto fl & 2 flutes)

Werder. F., (1922-2012)

Paisago

2003

(Alto & bass flutes)

Wesley-Smith. M., (b. 1945)

Intervention

2009

(Alto fl. & cello)

Other

A selected repertoire list for both instruments on the National Flute Association website http://www.nfaonline.org/Stage-and-Studio/Low-Flutes that was compiled by the Low Flutes Committee. The list is divided into difficulty levels A through K with K being the hardest. The list includes solo as well as chamber music pieces, and includes works with flute choir if the alto or bass is a featured soloist.

This tune was composed by Sir Alexander Don, 5th Baronet of Newton Don, who in 1777, along with other local gentry, formed a Society called the Caledonian Hunt, which met twice a year. The annual event of the Caledonian Hunt was the famous Caledonian Hunt Ball, an event so fashionable as to be attended by […]